Collaborating to Learn, Learning to Collaborate.

By Kelly Hutton

Children learn through social interactions... but do we need to teach them collaboration?

The ability to collaborate isn't just a "nice-to-have" skill; it's a core 21st-century skill that helps children to communicate, plan, problem-solve, and thrive in real-world learning. At Nurtured Together, the Functional Skills Tutoring, which is at the core of what we do, is intentionally designed to nurture these abilities through meaningful, hands-on projects.

But don't just take my word for it; the research keeps telling us that children learn through collaboration and learn best when they experience learning, not simply receive it. As one study puts it, "knowledge is created through transformation of experience" (Kolb, 2015, quoted in Hasan et al, 2023). When children work on purposeful projects, they practise the shared thinking, planning and organisation that underpin strong collaboration. It's the number one reason I absolutely love doing what I do; it's a transformative approach that really works with the children.

Why It Matters.

Across the research, collaboration is defined as learners "working together toward a common learning goal" (Scardamalia & Brereiter, 2014). It's more than dividing tasks; it's about thinking together, negotiating ideas, and building something collectively that no child could produce alone.

Studies show that project-based learning:

• strengthens problem-solving and critical thinking

• increases motivation and engagement

• improves communication and conflict-resolution skills

• supports children with diverse learning needs through shared roles and positive interdependence.

In one study, 80% of students demonstrated improved collaboration and conflict-resolution skills after the project-based learning (Hasen, et al, 2023).

Another study found significant gains in collaborative thinking when children learned through structured, interactive models such as Quantum Teaching (Nahar et al, 2022). As one child reflected, "You really brought all your feelings out", a reminder that collaboration is both cognitive and emotional skill-building.

Functional Skills Tutoring = Collaboration Skill Building

The projects I undertake in our Functional Skills Tutoring really build on the strongest elements of experiential and project-based learning as identified through research:

Shared Thinking

Children learn to articulate ideas, listen actively, and build on each other's reasoning. Research describes this as "mutual engagement... to solve the problem together" (Teasley & Roschelle, 1995, in Salmons, 2019). This can be seen when children in the tutoring session undertake what I call 'connection sparks' where they compare each other's ideas and point out similarities between them to come to a common consensus.

Shared Planning

The projects require children to set goals, organise tasks and negotiate roles, skills linked to " positive interdependence" and "individual responsibility" (Hasen et al, 2023). Through the tutoring sessions, scaffolding helps children to practise these skills gently and with confidence in ways that respond to the current needs and feelings. Today, for example, the session when as planned, but we did it standing up and walking around as per the needs of the children at the time and moment.

Shared organisation

From timelines to resource management, children are learning how to structure their work collaboratively through the tutoring sessions. Salmons (2019) calls this "sequential collaboration", which builds on each other's contributions through progressive steps. Our reflective aspects of the session really embed this and make it part of the natural process.

It is these executive function skills that the Functional Skills Tutoring is designed to strengthen: planning, prioritising, organising and reflecting.

Why Project Work is So Effective for SEND Learners

It is this research which highlights that experimental, project-based learning is particularly powerful for learners who benefit from:

• concrete, hands-on experiences

• structured collaboration

• opportunities to practise communication in real contexts

• gentle scaffolding that supports interdependence.

Teachers in Hasen et al (2023) noted that project work helped students "teach and support one another" a beautiful description of peer-scaffolding that aligns perfectly with the child-centred ethos practised at Nurtured Together.

An Invitation

If you’re supporting a child who struggles with communication, confidence, organisation, or teamwork, project‑based Functional Skills Tutoring can offer a warm, structured pathway into collaboration.

Children don’t learn to collaborate by being told to “work together", but they learn it by experiencing shared thinking, shared planning, and shared organisation in meaningful, joyful projects, which is something I am passionate about sharing and promoting.

Contact me for more information about what I do through Functional Skills Tutoring.

References

Hasan, M., Arisah, N., Ratnah, S., Ahmad, M. I. S., & Miranda. (2023). Experiential Learning Model for the Development of Collaborative Skills through Project Based Learning Practicum. Jurnal Pendidikan Indonesia, 12(2), 340–349. (Quoted line: “knowledge is created through the transformation of experience.”)

Kolb, D. A. (2015). Experiential Learning (as cited in Hasan et al., 2023).

Nahar, S., Suhendri, Zailani, & Hardivizon. (2022). Improving Students’ Collaboration Thinking Skill Under the Implementation of the Quantum Teaching Model. International Journal of Instruction, 15(3), 451–464. (Quoted line: “You really brought all your feelings out.”)

Salmons, J. (2019). Learning to Collaborate, Collaborating to Learn: Engaging Students in the Classroom and Online. Routledge. (Referenced concepts: dialogue, sequential collaboration, mutual engagement.)

Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (2014). Collaborative learning definition (as cited in Hasan et al., 2023).

Teasley, S. D., & Roschelle, J. (1995). Collaborative problem‑solving (as referenced in Salmons, 2019).